Steering policies in a turbulent environment During PM's visit to Saudi Arabia major matters were discussed and decisions taken that have long-term implications The writer is a retired lieutenant general of the Pakistan Army and a former federal secretary. He has also served as chairman of the Pakistan Ordnance Factories Board The complete lack of mutual trust and failed working relationship between the PTI government and the main opposition parties is undermining our already faltering nascent democracy that has serious consequences. The government has taken the easy course to bypass legislation by arbitrarily issuing ordinances on extremely important and sensitive subjects that demand serious deliberation and consensus even when the Parliament could have been easily summoned. The latest ordinance issued was on electronic voting and inclusion of expatriates. Maybe this is the way forward but experience of other countries and our special social environment and educational standards require several safeguards to be incorporated for which serious deliberation in parliament is needed. The practice of relying on ordinances not only further weakens our fragile democracy, creates a wall of mistrust between government and opposition, and denies people the understanding of these laws.